Children of the Corn:She Who Walks Beyond the Rows
by Doomie-Sama
Summary: Crow Backwoods, a half-demon girl, sets off to live at a quite little town called Gatlin. Her journey leads to a satanic discovery. A large cult of children lives there and has killed off the adults. Can Crow befriend these psychopathic children? R&R!
1. Chapter 1: Welcome to Gatlin

Children of the Corn: She who walks Beyond the Rows

The fresh, Gatlin air blew quietly across the cornfield. The rows of corn swayed softly in the wind. The smell of unsullied corn drifted from the field and into the desolate streets of the gloomy Nebraskan town.

The echo of rustling corn sounded ever so shrill in the hushed town of Gatlin. Children rustled in these rows as if it were a playground. The petite group of youngsters pitter-pattered through the corn carrying sickles and other varieties of weapons in their palms. One boy, wearing a white and black flannel shirt and jeans, carried a knife and departed from the cluster of children.

This boy was named Malachi Boardman. His twisted, red-orange hair shined with fluency as the sun's waves shined down upon him. He strode across the cornfield apart from the kids who he was positioned with and made his way to locate his good friend, Rachel Colby.

Rachel, including the children and Malachi, are a part of a mysterious cult led by 9-year old Isaac Chroner. Isaac started the whole cult. Isaac was known as the seer of the entire town and the overall leader of these befuddled and juvenile children. He sent Malachi to locate Rachel for current reports on the preparations for a demonic sacrifice.

Malachi hiked up the steps of the old, decrepit Church which was draped and surrounded by stalks of corn. He knocked on the hard, crimson door loudly. He heard footsteps from afar but still knocked a second time.

Rachel opened the door and smiled politely with her dimples slightly showing.

"Oh, Malachi! Good morning to you! Do come in," she blurted out with glee. She was lighting fragrant, white candles in the church. She was preparing for another offering to the corn god.

He entered the empty church and sat upon one of the aged benches. He interlocked his hands and sighed deeply.

"I suppose Isaac sent you. He's been in such an uptight mood since the massacre about a year ago," Rachel sighed as she lit another candle in the dark and hollow church.

"Actually yes, he did send me. He wants you to come and discuss the preparations. He sent me to find out your current progress," he reiterated with a strange sanguine tone in his voice. Rachel beamed and lit another candle. The barely illuminated room became filled with dry smoke. Malachi exhaled noisily and stood up from the bench. His tall posture loomed over Rachel, covering her in a bit of his shadow.

"I'll tell Isaac that preparations are complete and we'll be ready for Jakariya's sacrifice by midnight tonight," Malachi declared silently as he began to leave the room. Rachel lit the final pallid candle and blew out the match. The whole room filled with smoke and left Rachel in the candlelight, alone in the blood-stained walls of the decrepit Church.

* * *

"Way to go, Crow! You've out done yourself this time!" A girl wearing a stitched and patched up brown cloak blustered to herself. She lifted her long, black hat from her head of thick, dark brown hair. The sun's reflection bounced from her hair and onto a pair of minute horns on her head.

Crow Backwoods is an orphan girl whose family died by a mysterious fire. The only remaining family member is her brother, Gabriel. She is a half-demon child and is about the age of fourteen.

Crow perched herself upon the roof of an abandoned building in the middle of the cornfield. She had recently swiped a small, single weed and began to chew upon it. Her jaws were clamped upon it as she looked out at the bright, yellow-orange sun.

She bowed her head down and crossed her hands and prayed that this town would prosper her new life. She finished her prayer and fled the area.

* * *

Meanwhile, Malachi marched his way into the swaying rows of corn. He spotted other cult members running. One carried a sickle and the other carried a rusted, barbed wire.

The light rocking of the corn whispered in his ears as he journeyed through the flocks of dry and wet stalks of corn. He was almost at the clearing when he abruptly found a dead rat in front of his feet. He shook his throbbing head and picked it up by its blood-stained tail. He picked it up and handed it to a nearby cult member.

Malachi had finally reached the clearing where he spotted nine-year old Isaac wearing his white-striped black preacher vest and a brown undershirt. Isaac had brunette hair which was usually covered by a thick, round-crowned, black hat.

Isaac turned around.

Malachi took out his knife and gave a bow. Isaac bowed as well.

"Well? What did young Rachel reply?" Isaac asked with an evil anticipation in the tone of his voice.

"She says that the preparations should be done by midnight," Malachi replied with no emotion. His face was still in a smile.

"Superb! He Who Walks Behind the Rows is pleased with your loyalty," Isaac answered softly while he straightened his collar.

"Now, Malachi," Isaac coughed, "The Lord came to me in a dream one night, and he told me that you have started to drift away from his power. Is this blaspheme true?"

"N-no! I'd never! The Lord must be speaking of another," Malachi sniveled with a sly grin of regret.

"Do not doubt the Lord in vain! Be gone Malachi. Your company has become useless as of now," Isaac responded with an irked pitch in the tone of his voice. Malachi crutched his fingers into fists. He did not respond for he believed in He Who Walks Behind the Rows' powers and did not wish to upset it. He just gritted his teeth and left the clearing of the cornfield as commanded. His mind was focused on questions such as:

"What have I done?" and "How have I become a blaspheme?"

He answered those questions in his mind and strode through the corn to check up on Job and Sarah, two of the youngest children in Gatlin who never believed in the corn god.

* * *

"Hey, Sarah, do you think Malachi will get bothered if we played our record player?" Job asked as he lifted his head to face Sarah. Job was about seven years old and wore a large jacket and a lengthy tie as if he were dressing up as a ventriloquist's dummy. Sarah raised her head. She was only six and wore a pale dress with a pink hat that had a veil which covered her face.

"Probably…maybe we shouldn't," she sighed as she drew a picture with her old and torn crayons.

"I can't take this, Sarah! We have all of these dumb rules all because Isaac and Malachi say it is forbidden! We're not allowed to do anything!" Job carped to Sarah at the top of his lungs as he stood up from the floor. His eyes were wide with anger and all of a sudden he started to cry.

His eyes watered with tears as his sister cuddled up to him and sighed, "Oh, Joby, it'll be all right. They're only like that because of his will. They don't rea-" she was interrupted by a loud noise coming from down the stairs. The sound of a door opening.

The door swung open to reveal Malachi. He stepped in and took a deep breath. He climbed up the dusted stairway and opened up the door for Job and Sarah's playroom.

Job and Sarah sat quietly as they cuddled together. They looked up at Malachi as he entered the room with a sneer. His sinister sneer quickly formed into a devastated sulk.

"Hey, what's the matter, Job?" he questioned with a dash of sorrow in his throat. He stared at Job who was sniffling and sobbing quietly. He raised his eyes to gawk at Malachi's sudden appearance.

"Malachi! Um, Joby was just crying because of last year's massacre," Sarah replied, trying to cover up his real reason of bawling his eyes out. Malachi looked at Job in disbelief.

"Job, is that true? Are you sincerely weeping over the loss of your parents?" he inquired, still in skepticism of the truth.

"Y-yeah, that's true," Job sniffled, still wiping the remainder of tears from his eyes. Malachi looked at him again. He sighed deeply and checked around the room. He searched for the unauthorized objects Sarah and Job keep within their old home such as a record player, board games, and drawings.

"Hmmm, you're clean. I'll see you later," Malachi mumbled with a shy tone of regret. Joby still sat kind of sobbing but also slightly smiling. Malachi looked at Job and Sarah one last time and left the premises. Sarah and Job looked at each other and sighed with relief.

* * *

Crow perched herself upon a two branched tree and watch the corn sway in the wind. Her cloak and dark brown hair also wafted in the silent wind. She sighed as the wind started to pick up her hat, revealing her miniature horns. She grabbed it and held on tight.

"Damn it, what a wind chill!" She yelled to herself. Suddenly, she heard a rustle in the rows. She quickly used a sly cloaking ability she inherited from her mother and cloaked within the bark of the tree.

A somewhat tall figure with curly black hair left the cornfield, looking both ways numerous times. He crossed the street with hesitance, as if avoiding or trying to avoid someone or something.

Crow watched him try to run and escape the town. She asked herself: Why is that kid so suspiciously trying to escape? Why would he wish to leave such a peaceful town?

That was when Crow realized something very peculiar about this humble area. There were never too many people in town, and when there were, they were only children. Also, she has yet to see even one adult in the whole rural town. Her looks of befuddlement quickly changed to an adventurous glare.

Crow stood up on the branch and decided that she should get her answers. She had come to the decision to follow that boy and ask some questions about this little town called Gatlin.

Crow descended the tree and started running toward the young fellow. This young boy was about an inch or two smaller than Crow and wore ragged clothes. His hands held a suitcase that was tore and dented. He muttered small, incoherent words to himself as he started to pace a little faster.

Crow also began to speed up, that's when the boy stopped in his tracks. He turned his head and looked around. Fortunately, Crow hid in the corn as fast as she could. He cautiously turned around and walked even more rapidly.

Crow began to stalk him within the corn which raised his suspicions. He looked toward the corn and started to whisper with a strange fear in his voice, "Malachi? Isaac? I-is that you? I-I wasn't running away…I swear it! Please…don't-"

His voice sort of trailed off and his eyes were glued to the corn and realized that it was neither of the children he called. He tried to get an accurate view of me and began to amble toward the corn with a sudden valiance.

Crow stood trying to cloak herself, but her mystic powers become unusable when located. She just stood in the rows, awaiting her fate.

Bingo! Crow had an excellent idea. She would scare the living daylights out of this child. She deepened her voice to sound more demonic than its real soft and subtle tone.

"HALT! WHO GOES THERE?!" Crow screamed with demonic fury. The boy stopped in his tracks yet again.

"H-He Who Walks B-Behind the Rows?" The child stuttered in fear.

"I AM…UH…SHE WHO WALKS…UH…BEYOND THE ROWS! FEAR ME! WHAT IS THY NAME?" Crow cried, making up a false name. The boy fell backward, still in a state of panic.

"My name is Joseph! Listen…uhm…I got to…go!" Joseph stuttered as he ran back into the field. Crow looked at him dashing back to where he came. She downgraded her voice back to normal.

"Poor kid…perhaps I should follow him. Maybe he can lead me to who this 'Isaac and Malachi' are," Crow rambled to herself. She checked to see if no one was watching and vanished into the air.


	2. Chapter 2: A Crow in the Cornfield

Malachi walked back to the clearing where Isaac was beginning his daily sermon. He had to arrive or he would be severely punished. On his way, he heard the rustling of the rows, which never normally rustle. Malachi stopped for a moment and looked behind, around, and beside him.

Nothing.

When Malachi turned around to head toward the clearing, the wraith-like appearance of a human being stood in his path. He stepped back and watched the figure move a little. The figure stretched its long arms and cracked its back.

Malachi was bewildered by this silhouette of a person. He raised an eyebrow and began to get agitated. He pulled out his large kitchen knife from the knife holder on his belt.

The figure turned around.

It was Crow.

Malachi's eyes widened, his jaw dropped, revealing his large teeth. Crow and Malachi stared at each other for a minute. Crow's long hair wafted in the wind along with Malachi's hair.

"Who are you, outlander?" Malachi inquired with a slight growl.

"I should ask the same, shrew," Crow hissed, her eyes covered by the shadow of her hat.

"I don't share my name with interlopers!" Malachi snarled, still holding his knife.

"Well, then I guess we're both screwed!" Crow sighed and fixed her hat. Her green eyes glared into Malachi's blue eyes. Malachi tried to move forward to either strike or get to the clearing, but Crow blocked his exit.

"Let me through, girl!" Malachi yelled hastily, for the sermon had already started. He went left, Crow did the same. He went right; Crow mimicked his every move as if standing in front of a mirror.

"Tell me your name, you pawn," Crow growled, still imitating Malachi's moves. His face became red with anger and annoyance. Then, he stopped and took a deep, calming breath.

"Will you tell me yours?" he asked with a calm voice. Crow nodded her head. "My name is Malachi."

"Well, you red-head psycho, my name is Crow Backwoods," Crow snapped, "So, I was wondering…where is everyone? This place is as deserted as my stomach."

"Everyone is out in the cornfield with Isaac. You must come, outlander…I mean Crow. Isaac would be excited to meet you. Come, follow me," Malachi muttered quickly, and grabbed Crow by the arm. She knocked his hand from her arm and stared at him with anger.

"What the hell are you doing? I'm not going there. I'll find my way there on my own. Now get, shoo, go, and run along Malachi!" Crow yelled and then ran out of the rows. Malachi watched as her speed increased rapidly as she ran out into the road. He shook his head and marched to the clearing.

* * *

"Behold, my children. Another dream had been bestowed upon me during the night. This time, He Who Walks Behind the Rows was not present, but another lord in his place. This new lord has arisen from the bowels of the unholy to terrorize this peaceful area. T'was but only a dream, with exceptions of this blasphemed visage becoming reality, is slight. Give us thy word, Lord; is this a sign of treachery? Are we protected by your fate? This is but a question for him to answer alone…"

Isaac drowned, a large variety of children sat before him. Isaac used an assortment of advanced vocabulary at any time he could. His lectures lasted a long time and usually only droned about their lord.

Malachi appeared from the rows. Isaac stopped his lecture for a moment and strode toward Malachi. He stared up at him, for their height differences showed obviously.

"Malachi, you are late. What must you say for yourself?" Isaac bellowed in a small, dry voice.

"I apologize, but there is something you should-" Malachi was interrupted by Isaac.

"Well, be seated. The sermon is not yet over."

"But Isaac-"

"Complain ye not, Malachi! Now sit, or be smitten," Isaac ceased the conversation. He pointed to Malachi's spot in the clearing. He did as told and took a seat upon the ground.

Crow located a light grey tree with little branches. It was as if it was split in half. She also located a tall corn cross in front of the tree and realized she was near the clearing.

She hid on a branch behind the tree and spied upon the sermon. She looked carefully and spotted Isaac, still preaching to the kids.

"…and this new lord was not only a heretic to ours, but a female child. She also stalks within the corn, awaiting prey to capture. Therefore, we shall band together to destroy, annihilate, and murder this sacrilege to our one and true God, He Who Walks Behind the Rows!"

"Hey, who are you calling a sacrilege?!" Crow accidentally cried, facing the children while covering her mouth. She quickly camouflaged into the tree.

The branch made a loud _CRACK _noise. Suddenly, it broke and Crow screeched loudly while she fell face first to the ground. She raised her head insignificantly and opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry but she knew that Isaac and the children were surrounding her. She lay her head back and waited to be carried off into a different place of comfort.


	3. Chapter 3: Ezra

"Isaac, I tried to warn you but-" Malachi spoke but was then interrupted by Isaac yet again.

"Shh, I know that you tried to help by exposing this child to me. I thank you for your help, but you may leave now. Her life is in his will now," he muttered to Malachi, signaling him to get out as soon as possible. Malachi bowed his head and left the room.

The house they were within insisted of wood and corn-coated furniture. The walls palled and the windows were broken.

Crow lay on a bed, still unconscious from the head-first fall. The bed was draped with pale pink and grey striped sheets.

Isaac sat next to her, awaiting her awakening. Crow's hat had fallen somewhere and her horns hid deep within her long, brown hair.

Isaac studied Crow, watching her every second. He noticed a long scratch that was extended from the top of her fore head to her right eye.

Crow began to lift her left eyelid. She slowly raised it and checked to see who was next to her. She then opened both eyes and uttered a long yawn.

"Finally, you have awoken," Isaac said softly, while staring at her with evil aspirations flowing through his mind.

"Y-yeah…so? Why did you wait for me to wake up?" Crow yawned, rubbing the tiredness from her eyes. Her eyes circled the room as she awaited Isaac's answer.

"My child, you do not comprehend. I awaited your consciousness the moment I met your humble eyes. Now, you must come with me, dear girl. Your initiation shall begin when you arrive at the Church," Isaac replied, standing from the bed and motioning Crow to follow his commands.

She rose her body from the bed and stretched her body upon it. Isaac motioned her to move out along with him.

Crow pushed herself from the bed and followed Isaac down the stairway of the old home. They walked out the door and marched to the Church.

* * *

Ezra Simmons had dreams of a perfect world filled with humble children and a faithful leader. Ezra was not from the time of the Gatlin Massacre. He was from a future era where in Nebraska; the group of children no longer existed.

Ezra had read articles, papers, and files on the children of Gatlin. He started to wonder if he could be a leader like Isaac, Micah, and all the others. Then he decided that the only way to be like them, is to murder his own family.

Ezra, otherwise known as Chandler, had always had problems with his parents. They always punished him for his beliefs in He Who Walks Behind the Rows and the fights he caused at school. So that's when he decided that it was time to put an end to their blaspheme.

It was close to midnight in his time, and his parents were just heading to bed. Ezra, already in bed, awaited them to sleep. Ezra lay awake, thinking of how his parents shall face his wrath.

He thought of some ideas:

One involved a large, rusty machete. He would locate one and dart back to his home. While his parents lay in their beds at night, he would sneak in. Then, he would raise the machete above his head and smack it down upon them, cutting them into pieces of human flesh and dismembered body parts which lay on the bed.

Another involved a large amount of fire and gasoline. While his parents slept, he would infiltrate their room, carrying a carton of gasoline and a match. He would then poor a heavy load of gasoline upon them, waking them with fear. He'd light the match and fling it on their bed, scorching their flesh for all eternity.

A final idea was a simple yet severe one. He imagined himself walking to the kitchen. Out of the drawer, he grabbed two butcher knives. Similar to the first thought, Ezra would sneak in and raise the knives above him. He did not, however chop them up, but decapitated them. Their bloody heads rolled from the bed as their lifeless and now headless bodies lay soundly, resting forever.

By this time, he had thought of three deliciously demonic ideas. His parents had finally departed into slumber and it was now time for Ezra's plans to take aim.

Ezra had left his room and sped silently toward the kitchen. He decided to go with the third plan. He quietly darted through the kitchen and opened the drawer containing his two butcher knives. Ezra grasped them and made his way to his parents' room.

They lay in bed, drifting further into slumber. Ezra stood at the side of the bed, carrying the knives with a tight grip. He raised the knives above him and got ready for the murder.

His mother opened her eyes slowly and then gasped in fear. Suddenly, Ezra slammed the knife down upon her neck. Blood gushed rapidly from her uncovered neck as the decapitated head rolled on the floor.

Ezra's father awoke and went through the same murder as his wife. His head also rolled onto floor as the neck spewed dark red blood from it. Ezra walked out of the room, smiling in happiness.


	4. Chapter 4: The Initiation Ceremony

**Hey Guys, Updation time! Hoping to get some good reviews...O.o Soo...Yeah. Please Enjoy and Review. I do not own any characters other than the one's not seen or read in Children of the Corn.**

Isaac and Crow were almost at the Church. Crow followed Isaac slowly, thinking of her brother, Gabriel. Gabriel was a full demon boy and never got along with the adults in his town. He decided to take his rage out on the old lady next door by murdering her.

She never minded the bloodshed and murder, but when he asked her to commit a murder, she refused. Gabriel got upset and vowed forever hatred upon those above their 19th year. He deemed them as unholy blasphemers against Satan and should be done away with.

After the fire that disintegrated their parents, Gabriel was never seen by Crow again. To this day, she still wondered about her long lost brother who vanished after the blaze.

Crow stopped remembering for a moment and listen to Isaac's incessant droning.

"…and that's when I first realized the power of He Who Walks Behind the Rows," He concluded. He looked up at Crow and grinned with a somewhat maniacal way. Crow stared into space, looking out for this Church.

"Hey, where's this Church of yours anyway?" Crow asked finally, still staring into space. He took a minute to answer.

"Just follow, do not question. We are close." Isaac spoke the truth. Just around the corner was the old and decrepit Church which was draped and covered in aged corn stalks.

Crow's eyes opened wide as she saw two boys about the age of thirteen open the doors of the Church for them. Isaac led her inside the Church. The boys closed the doors after Crow and Isaac had arrived in the Church.

Isaac walked toward a podium in the front of the old benches. Crow sat down upon the second bench before the podium. The only other people that were here were those two boys, but they left in a hurry.

"So tell me your name, child," Isaac asked without even looking at Crow. He was lighting the candles that were accidentally blown out.

"I am Crow Backwoods. You must be Isaac…" Crow replied quickly, viewing the inside of the Church.

"Correct, my child. So, are you ready for your ceremonial initiation?" Isaac mumbled, still lighting candles.

"For what?"

"To become a follower of He Who Walks Behind the Rows and a member of our humble group," Isaac answered, jerking his head around to face Crow.

"Who in the name of hell is He Who Walks Behind the Rows?! Jesus Christ, this is like the fifth time I've heard that name today!" Crow yelled. Her voice echoed through the Church. Isaac turned his head back to the candles and lit the final one "Yo, I'm talking to you!"

"He…is our savior…the one true lord. Now he shall be your lord too," he replied after taking his time to think. He snatched a nearby pocket knife and opened it, showing the illuminated blade.

"W-what are you gonna do to me?" Crow stammered, gulping up a heap of phlegm caught in her throat. Isaac smiled with slight wickedness as he walked toward her, carrying the exposed pocket knife.

Crow just sat on the bench, trembling in a somewhat mixed feeling of fear and hate. Isaac drew closer, grasping the knife even harder. Crow suddenly went calm and decided to accept the fate which she was about to endure.

"Hold out your hand," Isaac said calmly. Crow did as told and raised her hand from the bench. He quickly grabbed her hand tightly and drew the knife toward her palm.

Swiftly, Isaac slit Crow's palm with the knife. Blood rushed out, leaking onto the floor. Crow let out a cry of pain.

Isaac then slit his own palm, also leaking out large amounts of blood. Still grasping Crow's hand, Isaac began to whisper some sort of ritual or chant.

"He Who Walks Behind the Rows, give us thy word! Make us as one!" Isaac grasped onto Crow's hand even harder as one of the candles he had lit blew out. He dragged her bleeding hand to his own.

"WE ARE ONE! WE ARE ONE! WE ARE ONE!" He chanted countless times, making his voice echo through the empty Church.

Crow began to shiver fiercely with a weird vibe. Her whole body felt like electrical surges had just struck her.

Isaac's chanting became louder and seemed to bellow deeply within his chipmunk-like voice. His eyes began to glow with a tint of red as he looked Crow straight in the eyes.

She began to feel searing pain coursing through her veins. She grunted in agony and held her side. Tears rolled down her cheeks, frantically. Blood dripped from her lips as she let out a scream of fear and drastic twinge. Suddenly then, she collapsed onto the floor and fell into a state of unconsciousness.

* * *

Further into the future, Ezra gathered his children into the deserted Gatlin cornfield. Kids from all around Nebraska made their way to Gatlin, sitting in a random order around the clearing of the cornfield.

Ezra held a cross of corn up into the sky; kids stared at it in a strange awe. They sat carelessly around in the clearing center, watching Ezra begin his oration.

"Welcome, my children, to yet another sermon. Today, my speech will be foretold of a new leader who shall arise from the corn. This new leader, unlike the other past leaders before me, is a female." Ezra halted for a moment and listened to the petrified gasps of the children. Their stunned faces lit up the clearing with a strange apprehensiveness toward the conclusion of the speech.

"Yes, it is true. I tell no lies but only what he enlightens me of. This feminine child is foretold as our messiah. The leader of us, the children of Gatlin, will rise forward as flesh and blood. We must prepare for his arrival and crush this false lord to the very bone! Praise God, Praise the Lord! Praise God, Praise the Lord…" Ezra chanted with a glint of wrath in his eyes. The other children chanted along.

"Praise God, Praise the Lord! Praise God, Praise the Lord! Praise God, Praise the Lord!" The children continued chanting while raising their weaponry above their heads. Ezra raised his cross in the air and let out a devious grin.

* * *

Crow started to open her eyes. She was covered in blood and sweat. She lay in a glistening pool of blood, baffled and nearly passed out. She drowned in her musings. The whole Earth stay still for a moment.

Crow's mind wandered bitterly of Isaac. What had he done to her? She covertly thought of ways to make him pay. Unfortunately, she had no clue what he had done to her. All she could remember was a appalling pain that coursed through her body. She also remembered that Isaac only slit her palm which would cause her slight damage.

"_That damn leprechaun! I'll teach that midget to mess with Crow Backwoods!_" she thought furiously, trying to keep herself contained. She remembered a time when she was angered to the point of destroying a coffee shop in Hemingford (_You don't want to_ _know_).

Distraught and violated, Crow slowly started to lift herself up. The room was dark and no one was in sight. Isaac most likely left to fulfill other chores. Crow had felt deceived and betrayed by her brother in the beginning but now it is Isaac who had swindled her.

Rage rushed through her, feeling the same way she did when she obliterated the coffee shop. Then, a footstep was heard. Crow suddenly froze and shut her eyes. She caught sight of a diminutive wraith-like figure slowly strolling across the church. Her slight Sciophobia made her tremble as she waited with caution of what the shape would do.

The reluctant shadow stopped for a moment. It paused in its place and stood to the left of Crow like a statue. The silhouette began to grouse and carp to itself. The shadow began to slowly reveal itself.

A little boy appeared from the confounding shadow.

This small child, quaint and youthful, was Job. Along with him, another shadow appeared through the opened church doors. This second figure also started to form and expose a small girl known as Sarah, Job's sister. Job sat down by Crow, who at this point began to lie entirely motionless.

Sarah, clutching a first-aid kit, kneeled beside Job. The two children had an awkward look on their face.

"Joby, is she okay?" Sarah whispered cautiously, changing her awkward visage to one of fret and bother.

"Not sure, sis. Let me check her pulse," Job murmured as he reached for Crow's bloody wrist. She still lay completely immobilized. Job yelped a short cry of disgust while checking the young girl's pulse.

Job reached inside the confines of the first-aid kit and drew out a large roll of gauze and a small container of yellow fluid. His sister also hoisted an item from the kit. It was no medical object but a fluffy, one-eyed stuffed animal that resembled a rabbit. She cuddled securely in her arms and gave a quick, meek smile of comfort.

That smile.

That single innocent smile made Crow begin to feel safe in Gatlin. _"Perhaps these kids are the only angelic children that are actually willing to help,"_ she mused to herself with solitude. She, herself, managed to produce a smile of her own. But then, another thought burst in her brain.

"_Wait a minute…Maybe these kids are pawns and are out to kill me. No, I won't risk it. If they really are a part of this, I can't risk associating with them freely."_

Crow lifted her head up slightly to take a peek at what Job was doing. He poured the pale, yellow liquid onto her bleeding, gaping cut. Crow let out a silent, excruciating gasp of pain and immediately slammed her head back down onto the ground. Sarah jumped slightly, still grasping the one-eyed bunny. Joby turned to her, giving her a sign to be silent. He twisted himself back to Crow. He lifted up her arm which dripped of blood and the strong, yellow liquid. Reaching for the gauze, he noticed a silver coin underneath the first-aid kit. He extended his opposite hand to obtain it. Once he had grasped it in his petite hands, he offered it to Sarah who gladly accepted it.  
Crow wondered what that was all about. She raised a single eyebrow as she lay flatly on the surface of the dark church grounds. Job seized the gauze and ripped off a long piece of it to enfold around Crow's palm. Crow's unsightly incise had become imperceptible with the gauze now jacketing it.

Now that her hideous cut had been covered, Crow decided that now would be the best time to strike the children. But, then her mind had changed again. "_If they had helped me…Then they mustn't be that bad. I might as well keep them in my skull as an aid._" Crow thought soundly. The children surrounded her, smiling with innocence.


End file.
